About one-third of Taiwan's employers to hire more in Q1: Survey

Taipei, Dec. 14 (CNA) Around one-third of Taiwanese employers surveyed said they plan to hire more workers early next year, while a majority either expected to hire the same number of staff as this year or expected to hire fewer people, according to the survey results.

The survey by human resources advisory firm ManpowerGroup found that 33 percent of the 645 employers polled said they expected to hire more people in the first quarter of next year. Meanwhile, 17 percent said they anticipated a decline in hiring, and 48 percent said their hiring plans remained unchanged.

After seasonal adjustments, Taiwan's overall net hiring outlook index for January-March 2025 stood at 17 percent, up from 16 percent in the previous quarter, but down from 19 percent over the same period of 2024, the survey found.

Taiwan's transportation/logistics/auto sector showed the strongest hiring outlook in the first quarter of next year due to a shortage of drivers, according to the survey.

Among the nine major business sectors in Taiwan, the transportation/logistics/auto sector recorded the highest hiring outlook in the first quarter, with the net employment outlook index hitting 48 percent, sharply up from 22 percent in the previous quarter.

ManpowerGroup said the transportation industry has been faced with a severe shortage of drivers in the post-COVID-19 era. However, with passenger and cargo volume handled by Taoyuan International Airport on the rise and its third terminal, which is scheduled to become operational in 2027, to kick off a recruitment campaign soon, demand for manpower in the industry will be further risen in the first quarter.

The financial/insurance/real estate industry came in second with the net employment outlook index at 31 percent in the first quarter, down slightly from 32 percent in the previous quarter, the survey found.

ManpowerGroup said that on the back of fast-growing financial technology (FinTech) in the country and the government's efforts to build Taiwan into an asset management center in Asia, demand for experts in accounting, legal, business management, and electrical engineering remained solid.

On the other hand, the energy and utility sector saw the lowest hiring outlook among the nine sectors with the net employment outlook index falling sharply to minus 48 in the first quarter, from 30 in the previous quarter, the survey showed.

The human resources advisory firm said the fall reflected a hike in tariffs on electric cars by the U.S. and a fall in crude oil prices, which dampened renewable energy investments in items such as EV parts and batteries. At the same time, uncertainty over nuclear power policies in Taiwan also posted challenges to new energy development, ManpowerGroup said.

Of the seven economies in the ManpowerGroup survey from the Asia Pacific region, Taiwan took the fourth spot in the net hiring outlook index in the first quarter of next year, trailing India (40 percent), China (29 percent) and Singapore (25 percent), while Hong Kong was at the bottom at 6 percent.

Among the 42 economies surveyed worldwide, ManpowerGroup said 41 reported an expected increase in hiring in the first quarter, and only one will cut hiring.